William Pratt (1609-1678)
}} Biography William Pratt (1609–1678) was an early colonial settler, a lieutenant in the Pequot War, and a representative to the General Court of Connecticut for 23 terms. William and his older brother John were two sons of Reverend William Pratt of England. He was the first settler in America, in this line. William and John came to Massachusetts on the same ship as John Cotton and Thomas Hooker. Training in the English Ministry Before that, William and John Pratt went with Thomas Hooker to Holland. Rev. Hooker and Rev Cotton attended the same college at Cambridge as Rev. William Pratt. All were strong believers in the Puritan movement. Rev. Hooker was an ardent believer in universal Christian suffrage and along with William and John Pratt broke away from Rev. Cotton of Massachusetts Bay Colony. They went on to found the Connecticut Colony, which on 14 January 1639 ratified "Fundamental Orders of Connecticut" which were inspired by the beliefs of Hooker. Connecticut is known as "The Constitution State" because of the hugely forward thinking of its founders, including the Pratt Brothers and Rev. Hooker who saw the future in American Democracy and freedom of Religion, as first espoused by its first truly Puritan Church leaders. Pequot Wars The daily menace of Indian Raids which threatened death or capture, would cause life to be anything but monotonous or carefree. To have taken part in the Indian wars, especially the Pequot War, must have required an almost unbelievable degree of courage. The Pequots had frequently shown as great cruelty to other Indian tribes as they did to the Colonists. In 1634, they signed a peace treaty with Massachusetts Bay which included the privilege the whites of settling on the Connecticut River, but in spite of that the Indians committed frequent depredations. It may be truthfully said that no event in the very early history of New England had a greater influence on its destiny than that known as the Pequot War 1636. It turned the tide which threatened to overwhelm the Colonies, and established a peace that continued unbroken for nearly forty years. William was one of the band that went from Hartford to fight the Pequots. He received a land grant in Soldiers Field in recognition of his services. First Founder of Hartford CT He is listed as one of the first settlers on the Hartford Founders Monument. In 1633, the purtian preacher, Thomas Hooker (1586-1647) revolted against the authority of the English Church, and was forced to sail to America with many of his followers. Finding that place to crowded they moved to the Connecticut River Valley, settling down north of the Dutch Territory in 1636. Here in 1638 they wrote the first constitution in America to create the new Colony of Connecticut (for which they retain their nickname as the Constitution State. Their central city is Hartford CT. Saybrook CT Between 1672 and 1675, he was a representative or deputy at the General Court in Hartford for Saybrook. In 1672 during a special session, the Court appointed Lieut. William Pratt & Sarg't William Parker to make an account of the ammo & artillery at Saybrook (due to a possible conflict with the Dutch). (Note: Lt Pratt's son, Joseph Pratt (1648-1703), married to Sgt Parker's daughter, Margaret Parker (1650-1681). Connecticut General Assembly He represented the town of Saybrook in 23 sessions of the general Assembly during the years between 1666 and 1678. He died 9 May 1678 in Saybrook, Conn. Famous Descendants * See William Pratt Famous Descendants - with links to Pratts, Huntsman, Romney and other major American families. Category:Pequot War